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kmcnaught edited this page Jul 24, 2025 · 11 revisions

When you define a DynamicKey, it can be given a label and/or a symbol. If it has both a label and a symbol, it will show the symbol by default, and switch to the label when you look directly at it.

<DynamicKey>        
     <Label>Left</Label>
     <Symbol>LeftArrowKeyIcon</Symbol>  
     <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>            
</DynamicKey>

The possible values for the symbol can be

<Symbol>M 21,8 H 15 C 14.4,8 14,7.6 14,7 14,6.4 14.4,6 15,6 h 6 c 0.6,0 1,0.4 1,1 0,0.6 -0.4,1 -1,1 z m 0,10 h -5.4 c -0.7,0 -1.4,-0.4 -1.7,-1 L 8.4,8 H 3 C 2.4,8 2,7.6 2,7 2,6.4 2.4,6 3,6 h 5.4 c 0.7,0 1.4,0.4 1.7,1 l 5.4,9 H 21 c 0.6,0 1,0.4 1,1 0,0.6 -0.4,1 -1,1 z</Symbol>

As an example of the different symbols available in Optikey, this keyboard shows various arrows, and the difference between keys with either symbol, label or both:

Full keyboard XML 
<Keyboard>
    
    <Name>Arrow keys</Name>

    <WindowState>Docked</WindowState>
    <Position>Bottom</Position>     
    <Width>100%</Width>  
    <Height>15%</Height>  

    <Grid>
        <Rows>1</Rows>
        <Cols>10</Cols> 
    </Grid>

    <Content>

        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Left</Label>   <!-- Label with no symbol -->    
            <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>        
            <Label>Left</Label>   <!-- This key has label *and* symbol -->  
            <Symbol>ArrowPointingToLeftIcon</Symbol> <!-- from Optikey -->
            <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>            
        </DynamicKey>


        <DynamicKey>        
            <Symbol>LeftArrowKeyIcon</Symbol>  <!-- symbol from Optikey, no label -->
            <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>            
        </DynamicKey>


        <DynamicKey>        
            <Symbol>KeyboardArrowLeft</Symbol> <!-- from MaterialDesign icon library -->
            <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>            
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>                    
            <Symbol>ArrowBack</Symbol> <!-- from MaterialDesign icon library -->
            <Action>ArrowLeft</Action>
        </DynamicKey>



        <DynamicKey>                
            <Symbol>ArrowForward</Symbol> <!-- from MaterialDesign icon library -->
            <Action>ArrowRight</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>                    
            <Symbol>KeyboardArrowRight</Symbol> <!-- from MaterialDesign icon library -->
            <Action>ArrowRight</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>        
            <Symbol>RightArrowKeyIcon</Symbol>  <!-- from Optikey -->
            <Action>ArrowRight</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>   
            <Label>Right</Label>       <!-- label and symbol -->                  
            <Symbol>ArrowPointingToRightIcon</Symbol> <!-- from Optikey -->
            <Action>ArrowRight</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Right</Label>       <!-- label only -->
            <Action>ArrowRight</Action>
        </DynamicKey>

    </Content>
</Keyboard>

arrow_keys

You may also find that instead of an actual icon you can use a emoticon or other symbol as a Label. You may need to google for the symbol and copy-paste it into your XML file. For instance:

        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Ⓐ</Label>
            <KeyPress>XboxA</KeyPress>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Ⓑ</Label>
            <KeyPress>XboxB</KeyPress>
        </DynamicKey>
        
        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Ⓧ</Label>
            <KeyPress>XboxX</KeyPress>
        </DynamicKey>

        <DynamicKey>
            <Label>Ⓨ</Label>
            <KeyPress>XboxY</KeyPress>
        </DynamicKey>

image

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